A targeted recruitment campaign will be launched specifically to recruit cabin crew. Pilots will be approached directly within the group of newly qualified pilots attending the KLM Flight Academy.

If you’re curious about becoming a cabin attendant, click here.

Consultation
KLM remains open to consultation and will continue to explore available options to resume negotiations. It is important to find a way out of this situation, to prevent further damage to our company and inconvenience to our passengers.

Why are there work stoppages?
The cabin crew unions FNV and VNC are protesting against a productivity measure that took effect on 30 October. This measure implies that KLM was compelled to reduce the number of cabin crew by one in Economy Class cabins aboard its Boeing 777-200s, Airbus 330-300s and Boeing 787s. These aircraft types operate 40% of KLM intercontinental flights. This solution has the least impact on customers and will largely generate the 4% productivity gain that is required.

KLM stresses that it was compelled to take this decision, as it was unable to reach agreement with cabin crew unions on KLM’s future vision and the required productivity measure. In the interests of continuity and healthy growth, KLM was compelled to implement the measure described above.

Productivity measure
FNV Cabin Crew is conducting industrial action against the introduction of a productivity measure effective 30 October. This measure means that KLM has had to reach a decision to assign one cabin attendant less in Economy Class on its Boeing 777-200, Airbus 330-300 and Boeing 787 aircraft. This will affect approximately 40% of the airline’s long-haul flights. This solution will have the least impact on the client and will largely produce the necessary productivity gain of 4%.

KLM emphasises that it became necessary to introduce this measure because it has not been possible to enter into consultations with the cabin crew unions about KLM’s vision of the future and the necessary productivity measures. KLM has no choice but to introduce this measure in the interests of its continuity and healthy growth.

KLM finds it regrettable that FNV Cabin Crew has chosen this course of action and believes that consultation could resolve the situation.

KLM would like to stress that it was compelled to adopt the “minus one CA measure” aboard the B777-200, A330-300 and B787, because the cabin unions were unwilling to consult on the issue of KLM’s future vision and required productivity measures. In the interests of continuity and health growth, KLM was therefore compelled to take this measure.

KLM remains open to negotiations and calls on the cabin crew unions to engage in consultation.

In line with this vision of the future and in order to achieve the productivity gains that are needed, KLM’s proposal to the cabin unions entails appointing one purser to work in-team from the start of the winter schedule (with one of the two managing crew members working over and above the normal team on intercontinental flights). This would make it possible to achieve the productivity gains required. Because the purser’s responsibilities are laid down in the collective labour agreement (CLA), this proposal can only be implemented in consultation with the cabin unions.

Because of the deadlock in the pension negotiations, the cabin unions are currently refusing to join KLM in talks. KLM has therefore felt compelled to seek an alternative solution within the possibilities offered by the current CLA. KLM has had to take the decision to implement the following changes to the composition of cabin crews from the start of the winter schedule on 30 October 2016: 300-seater aircraft will have two managing crew members in addition to the normal team (Boeing 777-200, Airbus 330-300 and Boeing 787) with one less Cabin Attendant in Economy Class. This will affect around 40% of long-haul flights. This solution will have the least impact on passengers, while generating a large part of the required 4% productivity gains.

Travelling with KLM should be an unforgettable, positive experience for all our customers. To be able to achieve this, KLM would like to get to know its passengers even better, to approach them in an even more personal manner and to adjust its service to meet their needs. It is our personal contact with our passengers that makes KLM stand out. All KLM’s employees have a part to play here, but on board it is the cabin personnel who are most vital. The way KLM works in the cabin has to change from a primarily logistics-based process, with fixed service moments, to an open and more customer-centric approach.

KLM would very much like the cabin unions to join it at the negotiation table to discuss productivity gains and to seek different ways to achieve the same results.